


Fairweather

by Oceanbourne



Category: League of Legends
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-03
Updated: 2017-04-03
Packaged: 2018-10-14 08:17:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10532526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oceanbourne/pseuds/Oceanbourne
Summary: Caitlyn is sent to investigate a stolen hextech device at the docks.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This was intended to be a one-shot so I don't think I'll continue this. Here I tried to practice meaningful dialogue which means description is sparse, but this is one of my favorite Caitlyn ships and I had a lot of fun writing this so hope you enjoy!

“Put your guns down and your cutlasses back in your belts, crew.”

The first sailor that had accosted Caitlyn, a dark-skinned Shuriman with a blue bandana covering his short hair, growls to himself and steps aside to let her go.

“Thank you kindly, sir,” Caitlyn remarks, throwing a sidelong glance and a smirk his way before stepping onto the Syren, the ship of the renowned bounty hunter, Sarah Fortune.

“And don’t be making any passes towards the sheriff during her stay, you hear?” Fortune instructs the crew. “She’s my guest.” Flashing a coy smile at Caitlyn, Fortune beckons her through a passageway leading to the captain’s cabin. The ceilings of the ship’s interior are low, and Caitlyn has to take off her hat, setting it in her lap when she and Fortune sit down at opposite sides of a table.

“It’s been a while since I’ve sat on the visitor’s end.” Caitlyn looks at the shelves holding various maritime memorabilia behind Fortune. A long emerald scale of what looks to be the remains of a sea serpent catches her eye.

“That doesn’t surprise me, dear Sheriff.” Fortune rolls up a stray parchment that lay on the desk and stows it into a drawer, following Caitlyn’s gaze. “But being holed up in a stuffy office all day can’t be good for your skin.”

“Neither is listening to the endless appeals of my coworkers looking for more ‘accommodating’ schedules, but I carry out my job anyway. Besides,” Caitlyn adds, shrugging a few locks of hair over her shoulder, “I haven’t had any complaints.”

Fortune looks at her with such intent that Caitlyn feels like she’s a contract on the Bounty Boards. “About your reputation? Or your looks?”

Caitlyn doesn’t bat an eyelash.

“I never specified.”

“You do look like a successful multitasker to me…” Fortune sits up, chin cradled in the crook of her thumb and index finger. “So, Miss Fairleigh. What brings you to my humble abode?”

“A report of stolen property. Valuable hextech, in fact.”

Fortune seems disappointed that Caitlyn’s dropped the banter. All the more reason to bring up her business quickly.

“Witnesses say that the perpretrator ran down into the loading docks and came around this side. I’ve been sending the team around all day to ask the other captains questions.”

“And you chose to come to me in person. I’m flattered, Sheriff.”

“I wanted to see for myself the product of all the stories that came ashore from Bilgewater.” She adjusts the collar on her shirt. “It’s just a matter of confirming the facts.”

“And? What have the stories said?”

“That you have a reputation of embellishment. Now that may impress the folk of the island that learned their tall tales before their letters. but that won’t cut it here in Piltover.”

Fortune pulls the drawer open, pulling out a golden doubloon. She tosses it in the air, and Caitlyn watches it flip several times before landing in Fortune’s hand. “Straight to the point. I respect that,” she says as her fingers close over it with a faint clicking noise.

“Well, Sheriff, since you’re also a woman of business, you’ll understand that the truth rarely comes free of charge. You can’t expect me to just present my résumé for all the world to gawk at. It’s bad practice.”

“Bribery, then? You’ll find our police force isn’t as exploitable as whatever authorities you’ve come across until now.”

Fortune puts a hand over her sternum, feigning mortification. “Bribes? I’m hurt, Sheriff, that you think so poorly of me.” Her visage then darkens as she leans in. “I prefer to barter. If you want something from me, you’ll offer me something of similar value. You can work around the terms of an exchange, can’t you?”

Caitlyn narrows her eyes a sliver. An intriguing game you play, Captain.

“So you wish to exchange information.”

“Precisely. You’ve asked me a question, so I’ll answer with one of my own.”

She doesn’t typically entertain the negotiations of suspects. But this Fortune is different. She plays to win, rather than to avoid loss, as the average pleading criminal tends to do.

Caitlyn nods. “Proceed.”

“What sort of device are we looking for? A weapon, a cosmetic? A power source, perhaps? Large or small?”

“A spherical container. Its use is classfiied.” Caitlyn catches Fortune’s gaze, and the redhead winks back.

“It seems small enough to fit in one of the drawers of your desk, but it’s not something you could easily conceal in a closed fist. Anyone boarding your ship would find it difficult to hide it from the rest of your crew.”

“You seem to think I don’t already keep tabs on who comes and goes on the Syren.”

“Does that satisfy your curiosity?” Caitlyn presses on.

“For the present.” Fortune taps gloved fingers together before she responds. “And if this device were to come onto the ship. Perhaps it’s a dangerous hexplosive? Or some new energy source that would make a hefty profit on the black market?”

Caitlyn shifts in her chair. Fortune deserves more credit than she’s given her; not since her first run-in with the Steel Shadow did another find a route in the maze to unsteady her demeanor. But she regains her composure quickly. She can make some concessions to Fortune, but not all.

“The substance is hazardous if it comes into contact with water. I’m sure you can see the problem here.” She isn’t lying; the device operates with electricity, and the scientists operating on it haven’t figured out a way to stabliize its circuits. A poor day for a thief to claim a prototype.

“I see.” Fortune hums a low note to herself, letting the matter stir a while. “I’m guessing it would do a serious number to a ship that was housing it. We in Bilgewater, ever since the day of Burning Tides, are much more prepared to handle a little accident. Though I’d hate to suffer such a loss…”

Fortune tilts her head, putting on her best innocent look. Yet her eyes gleam, almost as if she wants Caitlyn to look through it.

“…and I imagine my enemies would despise it more.”

“So it’s not on your ship.” Caitlyn can continue this game as long as Fortune wills it, but the precinct doesn’t have the time. “You handed it off to some other ship docked here?” Her impatience is slipping through, but it’s a tax she has to pay to serve the law.

“I never said that, did I? But it’s clear that it’s a valuable piece on the board if it comes into play for the conflict raging on the high seas.”

Caitlyn grips the sides of her armchair, Fortune hasn’t called anyone in, or made any indication that she isn’t in control here. That means…

“It has great potential in your hands, but much greater - and safer - potential in the hands of the hextech labs. So wherever you’re hiding it on this ship…” Caitlyn raises her eyebrows as she comes to a conclusion.

“Or more precisely, in this room: I’d appreciate it if you handed it over.”

Fortune stares at her for a few seconds, then puts her hands together and claps. “Really, Sheriff, I was beginning to wonder when you’d get to the bottom of it.”

Reaching below the drawer she had opened earlier, she digs into another one before pulling out a white orb, its surface obscured by a light fog. Caitlyn can see glowing particles travel across the concave surface.

It’s the object in question. She leans forward, her attention more on Fortune than the orb, and takes it into her hands.

“So you had this the whole time, yet you chose to lead me through a bunch of hoops like some kind of circus animal before you entertained me.”

“Hardly,” Fortune answers, and where Caitlyn expects sass and wit she finds none. Instead, the captain sighs and folds her hands underneath her chin. “You’re not the first officer who’s come through the harbor today.”

Caitlyn narrows her gaze. “But no one’s been instructed to come this way before the precinct assigned me this task.”

“Do you really think you and the other wardens are in charge of this entire city? It’s a large world in here, much larger than Bilgewater, and that island can’t decide on a set of colors to back. No, I don’t know who they were, but I knew I couldn’t trust them.”

“So you put me up to a test,” Caitlyn observes. “What did this other person ask you for?”

“The same routine you went through.” Fortune frowns, then adds, “With much less finesse. But I could feel their demands getting more and more hostile. I’d know that kind of attitude even if I was deaf in one ear. Whoever they are, you’d best watch your back, Sheriff.”

Caitlyn pauses, then nods. “I see. Then I thank you for your cooperation. I suppose you’re not all mystery and fraud, then, Fortune.”

Fortune laughs, a sound that comes from her heart, and not developed in her mind. “Please, call me Sarah.”


End file.
